Ggle Maps? What are they and hw can I use them in my classrm? Ggle Maps is an intuitive service fr navigating glbal maps infrmatin. It enables yu and yur students t lk up and study addresses anywhere in the U.S. and in many ther cuntries and get pint-t-pint, draggable directins pltted n an interactive street map. Yu can als research public transit ptins and study Yellw Pages listings with reviews, business infrmatin and cupns. Yu can freely switch between map, satellite, terrain, and StreetView mdes t gain varius perspectives n a lcatin. Best f all, Ggle Maps is an nline applicatin, s there's n dwnlading required, and yu can access it frm any cmputer that's cnnected t the Internet. Ggle Maps' detailed, highly visual infrmatin can be incrprated int numerus lessn plans, frm histry t gegraphy, scial studies and even ecnmics. Students can use Ggle Maps t learn abut specific lcatins and see what they lk like frm an aerial view; cmpare their hme streets and neighbrhds with thse f distant pen pals; and study satellite images superimpsed n the maps. Ggle Maps are nw editable, s students can add r mve their schl, recreatin center, r favrite park t help ther users find the mst accurate infrmatin. With MyMaps, yu and yur students can create persnalized, anntated, custmized maps. Whether yu're planning a field trip r dcumenting a famus traveler's jurneys, yu can embed phts, vides, and descriptive text t make the cntent cme alive. Yu can als publish, share, and invite thers t cllabrate n yur prject. 5 Cl and Easy Things Yu Can D in Ggle Maps 1. Create yur wn map. With My Maps, yu can mark lcatins, paths, and regins f interest n a persnalized map, and share it with yur students! Yu can even add descriptive text, embed phts and vides, and view yur map n Ggle Earth. 2. Plan an event and distribute infrmatin t parents and teachers. 3. Generate a map lcating yur schl and all f the ther schls in yur district. 4. Create a map fr parents wh are vlunteering t drive n the next field trip. 5. Have yur students create a map that shws hw they get t schl and have students cmpare rutes. If yu want t delve a bit deeper, have students cmpare the envirnmental impact f different mdes f transprtatin. Check ut the UK Carbn Ftprint Prject fr lessn plan suggestins. 1
Depending n yur lcatin, yu can create persnalized, anntated, custmized maps using Ggle Maps. Yur maps can cntain the fllwing: Placemarks Lines Shapes Once yu have created a map, yu can: Add descriptive text, including rich text and HTML Embed phts and vides in yur map Share yur maps with thers Cllabrate with thers Imprt KML r GeRSS t yur map Open it in Ggle Earth The fllwing instructins are frm http://maps.ggle.cm/supprt/ T create r edit maps, yu must be signed int yur Ggle Accunt. Yu d nt need t be signed in t view a map. Yu can als search fr maps made by specific users. T create r edit a map: 1. G t Ggle Maps. 2. Click My Maps > Create new map. If yu want t pen an existing map, check it in the left panel and click Edit. 3. Add a title and descriptin fr yur map. Yu can make yur map public r unlisted. 1. Public maps are maps that yu want t publish and share with everyne. Public maps will be included in the search results n Ggle Maps and Earth. Public maps als appear in yur user prfile (if yu have created ne). 2. Unlisted maps are maps that yu nly want t share with a few select peple. Unlisted maps will nt be included in the search results, s they are accessible much like an unlisted phne number -- anyne wh knws the specific URL f the map can view it, but there's n directry r search fr finding unlisted maps. 4. Use the icns in the tp right crner f the map. These include: Selectin tl. Use this t drag the map and select placemarks, lines, and shapes. Placemark tl. Use this t add placemarks. 2
Line tl. Use this t draw lines. Shape tl. Use this t draw shapes. Nte that these tls d nt appear until yu create r edit a map (see step 2). 5. Once yu are finished, click Dne. Yu can return t yur map at any time. Just g t Ggle Maps and click My Maps. Sign in t yur Ggle Accunt and select the map frm yur list f maps. Finding Yur Maps 1. G t Ggle Maps. Make sure yu are signed in. 2. Click My Maps. A list f yur maps appears. Click the apprpriate map t view it. Finding Maps Made by Others Once yu have fund a map yu like, yu can view ther maps made by the authr by viewing this persn's user prfile. T d this: 1. Click the marker fr the map yu like. Click Created by... Nte that if yu mve the cursr ver the link, an image appears fr that persn. 2. A user prfile page appears. It displays all maps created by this persn and sme additinal infrmatin abut this persn in the left panel. 3. Click the apprpriate tab in the left panel t view all cntent created by this user, just reviews r just maps. Deleting Yur Maps T delete yur map: 1. Click My Maps. A list f yur maps appears. 2. Click Delete beside the apprpriate map. Yu can nly delete yur maps, nt thers. 3
Adding and Editing Placemarks T add a placemark t yur map: T mve r edit a placemark: Adding and Editing Lines T add a line t yur map: T edit a line: Adding and Editing Shapes T add a shape t yur map T edit a shape: 4
Saving Search Results Yu can search fr addresses and businesses and save items frm yur search results t yur map. T d this: 1. Create r pen a map. 2. Search fr the business r address that yu want t add. The results appear in the Search Results tab. 3. Click n the item yu want t save. Click Save t My Maps in the inf windw. This cpies the result t yur map as a placemark. 4. Edit the title r descriptin, if yu want. 5. Click OK t save yur placemark. Adding Rich Text r HTML Descriptins By default the descriptins f yur map items are in plain text. Hwever, yu can use rich text r HTML. T d this: 1. Create r pen a map. 2. Click the apprpriate placemark, line, shape. The inf windw appears. 3. Click Edit. 4. Chse Plain Text, Rich Text r Edit HTML. 5. T edit rich text descriptins, select the text and use the icns abve the descriptin field: 6. T use HTML descriptins, add HTML in the descriptin field. Sme HTML may be stripped frm the descriptin if it is cnsidered unsafe r malicius. 7. Click OK t save yur changes. Adding Phts Yu can add phts t yur map, as lng as they are hsted nline. Please use a service such as Ggle PicasaWeb t put yur phts nline. T add phts: Adding Vides Yu can add Ggle Vide and YuTube vides t yur map. T add vides: Srting Items in Yur Map Once yu have added items such as placemarks r lines t yur map, yu can change the rder in which they appear in the left panel. T d this, click and drag any item t the apprpriate place in the list at the bttm f the left panel. Cllabrating with Others 5
Once yu have created a map, yu can invite individuals r anyne t cllabrate n editing yur map. T d this: 1. Create r edit a map. 2. Click Cllabrate in the left panel. A dialg bx appears. 3. Enter r chse the fllwing: Invite persns as cllabratrs - Enter the email address(s) f anyne yu want t cllabrate n yur map. Message - Type the message yu want t appear in the invitatin t yur cllabratrs Cllabratrs may invite thers - Check this t allw yur cllabratrs t allw ther cllabratrs Allw anyne t edit this map - Check this t enable any Ggle Maps users t edit yur map Cllabratrs - Yu can remve any r all cllabratrs 4. Click OK. Ggle Maps sends an invitatin t any cllabratrs yu specified. Sharing Maps Once yu have created a map, yu can share it with thers. T d this: 1. Open the map yu want t share. 2. Click Link t this page in the tp right crner f the range title bar. This puts the map's URL in yur brwser navigatin bar. 3. Yu can share this URL with yur friends by sending it in an email r psting it n yur blg r website. 4. Yu can als click Email in the tp right crner f the range title bar t pen yur default email sftware r service with the map URL in the email bdy. Creating and Editing Yur User Prfile Yu can create a user prfile which allws ther Ggle Maps users t view yur maps and reviews, plus additinal infrmatin yu want t display abut yurself. T edit yur prfile: 1. At the tp f the page, click My Prfile. 2. Click Edit my prfile under yur name. A prfile page appears shwing yur infrmatin, maps yu have created and reviews f these maps. 3. Edit yu prfile as yu want. Click Add Picture t include an image in yur prfile. 4. Click Save. 6
If yu've fund inapprpriate cntent in the persnal infrmatin sectin f anther user's prfile, click Reprt this prfile. 7
Viewing Yur Maps in Ggle Earth If yu have Ggle Earth installed n yur cmputer, yu can view yur maps in Ggle Earth. T d this: 1. Create r pen a custm map. 2. Click the KML r in the range title bar. Ggle Maps uplads a KML file t yur cmputer that yu can pen in Ggle Earth. Using Additinal Cntent Depending n yur lcatin, yu can add cntent that's relevant t yu n Ggle Maps: Overlay infrmatin such as phts, weather, and public transit maps Chse frm tls created by Ggle and ther develpers, such as real estate search and htel bkings Yu need t be signed in t yur Ggle Accunt. If yu dn't have an accunt, create ne nw. Finding and Adding Cntent T find cntent that yu can add t Ggle Maps: 1. Click n My Maps. 2. Click n Add cntent. 3. A directry appears that shws cntent created by Ggle and thers: Click n the title r thumbnail t get mre infrmatin When yu find smething that yu're interested in, click n the Add it t Maps buttn. 4. When yu're finished, click Back t Ggle Maps in the tp left crner f the directry. Everything yu just added appears in the Created by thers sectin f the My Maps tab. Displaying Cntent T display cntent that yu've previusly added t Ggle Maps: 1. Click n My Maps 2. Shw r hide a cntent layer by checking it. Infrmatin appears in the bttm pane f the left panel and/r n the map. In sme cases, Ggle Maps asks yu t enter additinal infrmatin in the bttm pane. Yu can display mre than ne layer at a time. Click n the title links in the tp pane t switch between currently active layers. 8
Remving Cntent T remve cntent that yu've previusly added: 1. Click n My Maps. 2. Click t the right f the title f the cntent yu wish t remve. 9
Curriculum Ideas Grade 1 Identify features within the cmmunity - buildings, rads, rivers, lakes arund lcal cmmunity Identify Buildings within the Lcal Cmmunity - Blck Parents, Plice Statin, and Neighbrs Use Ggle Earth fr images arund the lcal cmmunity Grade 2 Examine envirnments and cuntries frm satellite phts - what might their lives be like? Hw Are their Needs Met? Lk at the virtual glbe; make cmparisns f the Nrth and Suth ples Grade 3 Cmpare urban and rural areas in Ggle maps Identify gegraphic and envirnmental that explain the lcatin f varius urban and rural cmmunities. Grade 4 Lk at the natural resurces arund Ontari Lcate bundaries f twns and cities Examine the differences in the regins and specifically landfrms and waterways Use fr student's t present abut regins, prvinces and territries G t different regins and shw what might be the natural resurces Grade 5 Use the time zne verlay t shw the time znes arund the wrld. Cnstruct maps made thrugh verlays f electral ridings, majr municipalities f Canada, and time znes that determine the clsing f electral plls. Grade 6 Ask critical questins abut the Latitude and Lngitude with regards t City and Cuntries. Have students cmplete a City/Cuntry Scavenger Hunt. 10
Use ppulatin dynamics layer t shw glbal ppulatin statistics frm arund the wrld. Examining physical characteristics f the cuntries using the Land Features distributed database. Have students create a tur f cuntries where Canada exprts gds. Have students create a tur f cuntries where Canada imprts gds. Students can create a tur f the rutes f Nrth American explrers. Amazing Race Lking fr spices and silks Chse yur partner Vikings, England r France. Opening letter t mnarchy why they shuld be funded n their jurney t the new wrld. Write diary entries explaining yur jurney and making cnnectins t yur hme cuntry natural resurces taken back t hme cuntry fr what purpses with deturs alng the way. Give students a number f placemarks identify, analyze and classify in rder t decide whether a particular lcatin is a gd place t settle. Grade 7 Give each student a tpic, character frm histry r a regin, and let them anntate their placemarks and present it. Students can then share their Ggle map files. High Schl Students react t the events n Mntserrat while in rle as a crisis management team based at the Mntserrat Vlcan Observatry. http://juicygegraphy.c.uk/mntserrat.htm Mre curriculum ideas 11